A Very Puckleberry Hanukkah
by BritNP
Summary: Puck shows up at Rachel's house with a small gift to celebrate the first day of Hanukkah.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: I knew _nothing_ about Hanukkah before some brief research. I don't know anyone who celebrates it, or I might have asked. So, just be aware of that and if I've gotten anything wrong, I'm really sorry!**

**I do not own Glee or any of its characters.**

Puck stands outside Rachel Berry's front door, wondering for the millionth time if maybe he isn't just a little crazy. Or a lot. It's _Rachel__Berry_. The girl is loud, obnoxious, and insane. So why the hell does he feel compelled to knock on her door and talk to her? Well, more than that, actually, but he's not going to think about that right now. He is just about to knock on the door when it opens to reveal none other than Ms. Rachel Berry herself.

"Noah?" she asks, her eyebrows drawing together as she looks him over. She folds her arms across her chest as the cold winter air hits her. She's more than a little confused. They've hardly spoken all year, and she can't quite understand why he's here on her doorstep.

"Hey Rachel," Puck says, jutting his chin out. The two of them just stand there staring at each other. Rachel's not sure why Puck here, and he's not offering any explanation. Puck just isn't quite sure what to say because he hadn't thought this through and now he just feels like an idiot.

"Would you like to come in?" she finally asks. Puck nods and she moves away from the door, allowing him in before she shuts the door tightly behind him. It's much too cold to be holding the door open, and she'd rather talk in the house than stand in the cold in silence. She turns to him and says, "So, what brings you here?"

"Well," Puck starts, shoving his hands in the pockets of his jacket. "Today's the first day of Hanukkah."

Rachel blinks, wondering if that's supposed to somehow explain everything. She says, "I'm well aware of that, Noah."

"And we're both Jewish."

"I'm aware of that as well." She presses her lips together because she _is_aware of it, and she doesn't get where this is going. She and Puck might be friends, but they definitely didn't spend a whole lot of time together. The most interaction they had was during glee club with their occasional – or frequent, she should say – glances at each other. She was just more confused by it than anything because, really, did he like her or what? She hated not knowing. If he didn't, he could at least _tell_ her so she wouldn't get her hopes up anymore.

"I got you a present." Puck sighs as he pulls a box out of his pocket. He stares down at it for a moment before looking up and giving Rachel a small smile.

"You didn't have to-"

"I wanted to." Puck tells her as he hands it over. She takes it, smiling at the glittery pink wrapping paper. Puck notices and adds, "I know pink is your favorite color. It just kind of screamed Rachel Berry to me."

Rachel's heart melts a little, though she shouldn't be surprised. She's learned that Puck always notices, even when you don't think he does. She tugs off the lid to the box and gasps. Puck's face lights up and he can't help but grin because he's _finally_ done something right. She pulls out the necklace, the gold star dangling off the end. She looks at Puck in complete awe and embraces him. He smiles and wraps his arms around her. He sighs happily, gently rubbing her back. It felt good to have her in his arms.

"Thank you so much," she says as she pulls back to look at him. "If I would have known, I would have gotten you something in return."

"Hey, we've still got seven more days." Puck tells her and grins.

"What? You mean you...?" Rachel asks and Puck nods. Okay, now Rachel is _really_surprised and more confused than ever. He can pass it off as them both being Jewish, but really, what guy – Jewish or not – is going to spend money buying eight gifts for a girl that he merely tolerates?

Rachel pulls away so she can put on the necklace. She takes it from the box and sets the box on the small table next to the door. She'll have to remember to get it later. She wants to keep it. Puck takes the necklace from her and she turns away from him, pulling her hair up so that it won't get tangled in it. He fumbles with the clasp for a bit before finally getting it. Turning her around, he straightens the necklace out and looks up at her. She's smiling up at him, and he really just wants to kiss her. Instead, he clears his throat and says, "Beautiful."

"Perfect," she says, grinning. She's sure he probably has no idea that she's actually referring to him and not the necklace, but he's still grinning, so she doesn't care. Noah Puckerman is sweeter than most people give him credit for, but it's nice knowing that she's one of the few who actually know this side of him.

She convinces him to stay for a little bit, telling him that she and her fathers were just about to sit down and play the dreidel game. Of course, the promise of gelt is really all he needs before he's hanging up his jacket next to the door and sitting down around the coffee table with her and her fathers. The dreidel game is not exactly the most stimulating game, and while she knows he's Jewish, she's a little surprised at the fact that he knows the Hebrew words written on the game. _I __really __should __just __stop __being __so __surprised,_ Rachel tells herself.

The game finally comes to an end when Puck ends up with all the gelt. He's only going to take a few pieces home with him, because he saw his mom with some earlier that day, but Rachel and her dads insist that he take it. He decides to sort out the candy so that they each have an equal share. Once he's finished, he announces that he really better be getting home. He tries to not to read too much into the disappointment on Rachel's face.

After her dads thank Puck for playing with them and quickly disappear into the kitchen, Rachel takes it upon herself to walk Puck to the door. She rolls her eyes as she ignores his not so convincing protests that he knows where it is and how he can get there. They stand there awkwardly for a moment before Rachel grabs her coat and tells him that she'll walk him to his car.

"But it's freezing out, Rachel."

"I don't care."

"What, are you afraid I'm going to develop sudden amnesia and not find my car?" Puck teases.

"Exactly. I would be absolutely devastated if I walked out tomorrow morning and found you frozen in the snow just inches away from your vehicle. How would I ever forgive myself?" Rachel grins, and Puck rolls his eyes but can't help but smile back.

"Okay, fine. You can walk me to my car."

Rachel pulls on a pair of boots and flicks on the porch light before shutting the door behind her. Puck offers his arm, and she takes it, walking close so that she can feel his warmth. When they reach his car, he turns towards her, looking up at the house and then back down at her.

"Your nose is red," Puck laughs.

"It's cold out." Rachel says, her teeth chattering as she rubs her arms. Puck reaches into his coat pocket and pulls out a gray sock hat. He pulls it down over her head, covering up her eyes and her ears. She giggles as she adjusts it so she can see him. "I have my own hat you know."

"Oh, I know. But you don't have it right now. Wear mine. My mom made it." Puck tells her and she grins up at him.

"You know how I said I didn't have a present for you?" Rachel says, looking up at him through her eyelashes.

"Mm, what about it?" Puck asks.

"I thought of something I could give you."

Before Puck can ask what it is, Rachel stands on her toes and presses her lips to his. He barely has time to react before she quickly pulls back, and he's kind of thankful that it's quick because he's not sure if he would have been able to really process it enough to kiss her back. He stares down at her, eyes wide. She watches him, waiting for a reaction other than his obvious surprise. He smiles slightly as he hooks an arm around her waist and pulls her close. He kisses her softly, her lips parting beneath his and he tightens his grip on her. He pulls his head back slightly and says, "Best present ever."

Rachel flashes him a huge grin as she says, "And just think, we've got seven more days."


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: I do not own Glee or any of its characters. Also, if you don't know, gelt is those little chocolate coins you sometimes get, especially around Christmas.**

* * *

Puck wrings his hands as he looks around the living room, his eyes falling on his little brothers whose eyes are glued to the television. He's nervous about them, of course. Anyone who has younger siblings know how embarrassing they can be when you bring someone home for the first time. And then there's his mother. Puck shakes his head. What was he thinking telling Rachel that she could come over tonight?

All day, the two of them have been texting back and forth. Rachel keeps insisting that since Puck made the trip over the night before, she would come over tonight. Even though he knows it's useless, he continues to argue with her. In fact, the matter still isn't settled, and he knows that any minute now, her little bug would be parked out on the curb in front of his house and she'd be walking up and... _knock__knock_. Yep, there she is. Just as he thought.

Puck looks at his brothers and raises his hands in a silent prayer, thankful for the fact that they didn't seem to hear the knock. His mother is a different story, and as Puck moves across the living room towards the front door, he realizes that his mother is already there, hugging Rachel. His heart leaps to his throat at the sight.

"Noah, you're- Oh. There you are." Puck's mother says as she turns to see him standing there.

"Hey Rachel." Puck says quietly.

"Hi Noah." Rachel grins at Puck, and Puck can't help the grin that's spreading across his own face. Rachel Berry is here in his house. She came to see _him_. _Suck__on__that,__Hudson._

"Are you hungry, dear? We just finished dinner, but I could make you a plate if you'd like." Puck's mother asks Rachel, smiling at her.

"Oh, no, thank you, Mrs. Puckerman. I just ate." Rachel answers with a polite smile. Puck glances over at his brothers, who are staring at Rachel with interest. He shakes his head and looks back at Rachel.

"I got it, Mom." Puck intervenes and takes Rachel's coat. He hangs it up on the coat rack and leads her over to an armchair. She sets the small gift down on the coffee table and smiles up at Puck.

"Aren'tya gonna introduce us, Noah?" One of Puck's little brothers asks, and Puck glares at him for a moment.

"Rachel, these are my brothers. That one's Samuel, this one's Isaiah, and that one's Matthew. They're all the most annoying little creatures ever to walk the earth. Guys, this is Rachel." Puck grins down at Rachel.

"Is she your girlfriend?" Matthew asks, drawing out the 'girl' in girlfriend. The other two boys giggle and Puck looks down at Rachel in confusion. They'd never talked about what exactly the kiss meant. Rachel looks at the little boys on the couch and nods.

"Yep. I'm Noah's girlfriend." The boys giggle and Rachel grins. "How old are you guys?"

"I'm eleven, Matt is nine, and Isaiah is-"

"I'm six!"

"Are you now?" Rachel giggles and smiles up at Puck. She wasn't even aware that he had younger brothers, but she thinks they're adorable. Once again, she's pleased to know something about Puck that most people don't.

"We didn't know Noah had a girlfriend," Matt comments, looking at the two of them. Puck sits on the arm of the chair and puts an arm around Rachel's shoulder. He's been much further with her, but this time, everything feels so different. Is it because for once in his life, someone who left actually came back?

"Because it just happened last night. Remember when I left last night?" Puck asks and the boys eyes widen.

"You went to her house?" Isaiah asks.

"Yep."

"Oh, so that's where you got the gelt." Sam grins.

"Uh-huh."

"So who's gonna play the dreidel game with us tonight?" Matt asks.

"I am," Mrs. Puckerman smiles as she comes into the room. She sits in the chair across from Rachel's and studies Rachel for a moment. "I heard something about girlfriend?"

"Oh god, Mom. Please tell me you're not going to interrogate her." Puck runs a hand over his face as he shakes his head.

"Don't be overdramatic, Noah. I'm not going to interrogate her. I just think it'd be nice to know a few things about your girlfriend."

"You don't even have to ask, Mrs. Puckerman. I'm on the honor roll, I'm in Glee club, I played Maria in the school musical, I've applied to NYADA, and I am Jewish."

"Wonderful," Mrs. Puckerman grins and brings her hands together in a single clap. "It sounds like you have a promising future."

"I certainly hope so. I'm shooting for Broadway." Rachel tells her and feels Puck's hand give her shoulder a light squeeze. Puck believes in Rachel. He always has. He knows that she'll make it wherever she wants to go.

"I've seen you perform, dear. I have no doubt you'll get there." Mrs. Puckerman admits and Rachel is positively beaming. Puck had never said anything about his mother coming to see their performances. Puck's brothers nod in agreement and Isaiah starts bouncing excitedly, and Rachel realizes that they've seen her perform as well. Suddenly she feels much more confident.

Mrs. Puckerman brings out the dreidel game and Rachel and Puck watch them play for a few minutes before heading to Puck's room. Puck rolls his eyes when his mother smiles and says, "Door open, Noah." The two of them sit down at the edge of Puck's bed.

"So..." Puck says, biting his lip.

"I'm sorry if I crossed some sort of line or something by telling them that I was your girlfriend. I mean, if you don't want that, we don't have to be. I just figured..."

"No, it's... I'd like that."

"For me to..?"

"Be my girlfriend. Yeah. We just hadn't talked about that exactly, so I wasn't sure what _you_ wanted."

"I want to be." Puck grins and puts his hand over Rachel's, rubbing his thumb over the back of her hand. He leans in and gives her a soft kiss on the lips.

"I missed you."

"I missed you, too." Rachel blushes and looks down at their hands. Puck brings his other hand up and brushes back a strand of Rachel's hair, tucking it behind her ear.

"Wanna open your present now?" Puck asks.

"Sure. And you can open yours." Rachel says. He gets up and goes to his closet. He reaches up onto the shelf and pulls down a small box. Rachel can see the six other presents that are sitting up there for her, and she notices that they're all wrapped in different wrapping paper. The fact that he went to so much trouble as to wrap eight different presents with different wrapping paper melts her heart just a little. A lot of thought and care went into this.

They exchange presents and Puck sits back down next to her. She tugs at the ribbon and takes the lid off. She pulls out a bottle of nail polish, suddenly thankful that she didn't make that trip to the store today like she had planned.

"You were saying last week that you were almost out of it."

"Thank you, Noah." She grins and gives him a quick kiss. "I never think anyone's listening, but you always do, don't you? You pay attention."

Puck just grins and pulls off the ribbon on his gift. He opens up the box. He raises an eyebrow as he lifts the old pocket watch out of the box. He turns it over in his hands, examining it. There are initials engraved on the back. _A.J.B._

"It was my grandfather's," Rachel says quietly, looking at the watch. "Alexander J. Berry. Before he died, he gave it to me, saying that he wanted his only grandchild to have something that was important to him. He said that time wasn't important, that things happened when they were meant to. He wanted me to remember that."  
"Rachel, I can't take this."

"You can and you will."

"It belongs in your family."

"No matter what we are, you're always going to be family to me." Puck looks back down at the watch because he's not too sure he can look Rachel in the eye right now. He knows the look she's giving him. That determined stare that says she's not going to back down. He knows she won't. She's Rachel. Stubborn, ambitious, determined, annoying, beautiful Rachel. He smiles softly and looks back up at her.

"Thank you." Puck leans over and kisses her. She wraps her arms around his neck and kisses him back. She wants him to know just how important he is to her. Whether he's hers or not, she's always going to care about him.

"You're so welcome." Rachel grins, pulling back to look up at him.

"You'll always be family to me, too," Puck tells her and kisses her nose. "I get all sappy when I'm with you."

"I have that effect." Rachel says. Puck laughs and rolls his eyes at her.

"The modest Rachel Berry, ladies and gentlemen." Puck grins and Rachel laughs, tipping her head back. Puck presses his lips to her throat and closes his eyes. Rachel shivers slightly and shuts her eyes, smiling. He kisses along the nape of her neck.

"Ummmmmmm! Mooooooooooom!" Puck and Rachel turn to see the three boys standing in the doorway, laughing and bouncing.

"You are _so_ dead." Puck glares at the three of them. They stick their tongues out and make faces at him and tease him until he jumps up. They all run back down the hall screaming for their mother and Rachel laughs.

"Tomorrow night, you should definitely come over to my house. No little kids and I don't have to keep the door open." Rachel says, crossing her legs.

"You can count on it. Can I just come over for the rest of the days?" Puck asks.

"And miss this? No way. I get to come over here, too. We'll take turns." Rachel tells him. She really likes his mother and his brothers. She's always wanted younger siblings, and Puck's brothers seem like such fun.

"If you insist." Puck says, pulling her to her feet and wrapping his arms around her.

Rachel grins as she wraps her arms around his neck and says, "I insist."


	3. Chapter 3

Rachel shuts the door against the cold, setting her bags down on the floor and shaking her head to get the snow out of her hair. Christmas shopping so close to Christmas _sucks_, and next year, she's going to be a lot more prepared.

"Rachel, sweetie." She kicks off her shoes and moves towards the living room as she unbuttons her coat. Her frozen fingers aren't cooperating, so she's still struggling with a button as she goes into the living room. After a moment of fighting with it, she looks up and cocks her head to the side as she takes in her fathers and their guest.

"Noah? What are you doing here?" she asks. She's suddenly thankful she had gotten the presents wrapped while at the mall because if not, she would have had to sneak away to wrap them all before letting him anywhere near her room.

"My night to come over, remember? I just thought I'd talk to your dads a little bit." Puck says as he helps her out of her coat. She gives her fathers a questioning look while Puck goes to hang up her coat. They just smile and shrug and Rachel's a little irritated. Just what has he told them? He comes back with her shopping bags, holding them up as he asks, "These go up to your room?"

Rachel nods. She's not going to tell him that he's carrying his own presents up to her room. She watches him go up the stairs and then turns back to her fathers.

"What did he tell you?" she asks them.

"Just that he was your boyfriend."

"And that he was here because the two of you are exchanging gifts for Hanukkah."

"Which is _adorable_."

Rachel rolls her eyes, but can't keep from grinning. She lets out a small giggle and then realizes how _school__girl_ it is and wants to smack herself. She clears her throat and looks back at her fathers, feeling her cheeks heat up.

"I'm going to go help him," Rachel tells them and heads up to her room. Puck doesn't hear her come in, and she catches him shaking some of the boxes to try to guess what's in them. She stands in the doorway, grinning as she watches him. When he finally realizes she's there, he hides his hands behind his back and grins innocently.

"Rachel!" he exclaims. "How long have you been there?"

"Long enough," Rachel laughs and moves into the room, shutting the door behind her.

"Well, I didn't figure any of them out," Puck sighs, bringing his hands out from behind his back. She just chuckles and puts the rest of the boxes back into the shopping bags and moves them over beside her desk.

"Pick one," she says, going to Puck and taking the gifts from his hands. Puck stares at the two gifts for a moment and then picks the one with the green wrapping paper. He sets it down on the bed and then picks up the box he had brought up earlier, before she had come home. He hands it to her and the two of them sit down on the edge of her bed.

"Hey, how did you know I needed a new wallet?" Puck asks as he opens up his present.

"You're not the only one that pays attention," Rachel grins. She gasps as she lifts the lid off of the box. "Noah, these are beautiful."

"Do you like them?" Puck asks as she pulls out a pair of pink cashmere gloves. She makes a little noise of approval and Puck leans over to give her a light kiss on the cheek.

"Thank you," She tells him, trying them on. "They're so soft."

Puck smiles and tucks his new wallet into his back pocket. He'll switch out his new one with his old one later, he decides. Right now, he's with Rachel. She takes the gloves off and sets them in her lap, leaning over to kiss Puck. He cups her face in his hands and kisses her nose. She giggles and grins up at him.

"You're so beautiful." He tells her as she looks up at him with those big brown eyes. She blushes as she looks down, heat creeping into her cheeks. He lifts her chin with her finger so that he can see her eyes again. She closes them as he gently presses his lips to hers. She doesn't notice as he moves her gloves, setting them aside so he can lay her back on the bed. He runs his hand down her side, resting it on her hip as he kisses her. She kisses along his jaw, nipping lightly at his earlobe. Puck closes his eyes as a low moan escapes his lips and Rachel's lips find his again, kissing him harder. He gently squeezes her hip and she presses against him, darting her tongue into his mouth. And fuck, he was going to take this slow, but she doesn't seem to want that.

He doesn't understand why his hands are shaking as he slides them under her shirt, because he's done this before. _But__never__with__Rachel_. A part of him thinks maybe that shouldn't matter, but then, he knows it does because, hell, this is _Rachel_, and he just might be in love with her. Puck blinks as he pulls back away from Rachel, looking down at her for a moment.

"What? Did I do something?" Rachel asks, propping herself up on her elbows. Puck shakes his head, not sure what to say. He's definitely _not_ going to tell her what just crossed his mind. He doesn't even know if he's sure that's how he feels.

"No, it's nothing." Puck tells her, giving her a big grin to reassure her. She lies back against the pillows and Puck kisses her again, letting his fingertips graze over the top of her bra. He slides his hand underneath her to undo the clasp, but hesitates for a moment. She pulls away from his neck to look up at him.

"What's wrong?" she asks him.

"I..." Puck sighs and pulls back. "I don't want to have sex, Rachel. Not tonight."

"Why not? What did I do?" Rachel asks.

"You didn't anything. I just... I want to wait." Puck says quietly. He's never said those words before, but he means them.

"Wait?" Rachel asks and Puck nods. Rachel lies back, staring up at him. She doesn't quite believe him because, well, this is Noah Puckerman. His reputation says otherwise. Then again, she knows a different side of Noah. A sweeter, softer side. "Why?"

"Would you believe me if I told you my conscience is saying no?" Puck asks, laying down beside her and stroking her cheek.

"Noah Puckerman has a conscience? Alert the media." Rachel jokes and Puck laughs. He gently kisses her on the nose.

"His name is Jiminy Cricket. You should meet him sometime." Puck tells her and Rachel laughs. He pulls her closer, and she snuggles up against him. He lays there with her in his arms, running his fingers through her hair.

"If not now, then when?" Rachel asks.

"When we're both ready." Puck answers. Puck can't really come to grips with the fact that he's not ready to sleep with Rachel yet. It's not like sex is new to him. He's definitely been around, but Rachel is different. She's... well, she's Rachel. She's not just another girl. He wants it to be special. He closes his eyes, inwardly laughing at himself. He sounds like a damn virgin.

"We?" Rachel asks, and Puck knows she's caught on to his implications.

"Yes. We."

"You're not ready?" Rachel asks, curious.

"No."

"But... why?"

"Because you're special, Rachel Berry." Puck answers and softly kisses the top of her head. Rachel feels her heart swell in her chest, and she secretly curses Puck for having this effect on her. He makes her feel like a giddy little school girl. He makes her feel like she's in love for the first time, and she can't help but wonder: Is she in love with Noah Puckerman?


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Oh goodness. I know this is coming WAY late. I had hoped to get it done by Christmas, but my brother went into the hospital, there has been tons of family drama, and I lost internet for a good chunk of time. But, excuses aside, I'll probably be rather slow in finishing this. So, I'm sorry! As always, I don't own Glee or any of its characters.**

* * *

Puck couldn't sleep last night. No, he didn't have nightmares or some sissy shit like that. He just hadn't been able to sleep. But he's pretty sure he knows why, and it's the same thing that has him pacing around his room right now.

It's that damn "l word".

What had prompted him to think it last night? Well, at least he hadn't said it. But it bothers him. He isn't really in love with Rachel, is he? He looks over at the small wrapped gift sitting on his bed. That might say otherwise. He shakes his head. No. He doesn't love Rachel.

Does he?

"Keep that up and you'll worry a hole into your floor." Puck looks up and sees his mother standing in the doorway, leaning against the doorjamb. She's smiling, with her arms folded over her chest. Yeah, she knows.

"Sorry." Puck comments, taking a seat on the bed. His mother comes into the room and sits down next to him. She knows what it is, so why doesn't she just say it already? They sit there in excruciating silence for a few minutes before Puck finally gets that she's not going to say anything. She's waiting for _him_ to say something.

"The l word almost came out last night," Puck sighs.

"Almost?" She asks.

"Yeah. I mean, I didn't say it. I just thought it." Puck tells her. That's an outright admission, isn't it? It's basically saying, "Yeah, I'm in love with Rachel." Puck sighs and looks over at her, and she's still just smiling.

"What's so wrong with being in love with her? She's a sweet girl." His mother says, giving him a light nudge.

"Nothing, I guess. I just.. it's new?" Puck frowns, looking down at his clasped hands.

"It's scary." Puck nods. He doesn't want to sound like a pussy, but yeah, that's about it. It _terrifies_ him. His mom puts an arm around his shoulders and says, "Look, if you're not ready to say it, then don't. But don't deny that the feeling is there. It's scary, but it's also wonderful. Open yourself up to it, and you're going to find a whole different world."

Puck nods and with that, she gets up and leaves the room. She turns to him on the way out and, with a big grin, she says, "Oh, by the way, Rachel is here. I left her downstairs with your brothers..."

Puck is immediately on his feet and running down the stairs. What is she _thinking_ leaving Rachel alone with his brothers? Is she insane? That is the worst possible thing ever. He wouldn't leave anyone alone with his brothers. Not even if he wishes them dead. That is worse than death.

At the end of the stairs, he stops short. Rachel is on the couch, surrounded by his brothers, and she is laughing. She is _laughing_. The last time his mom left Hudson alone with his brothers, Hudson was _crying_. Okay, now he's suspicious of Rachel. Is she a witch of some sort? Or maybe a siren. She does have a really pretty voice.

He shakes his head and joins them, taking a seat in a nearby chair. She grins at him and he can't help but grin back. He watches her as she sits and talks with his little brothers, answering any questions they have. And they have _a lot_ of questions.

"What's your favorite color?"

"How old are you?"

"Do you have any brothers and sisters?"

"Are you Jewish?"

"Where are you from?"

"Do you like Noah?"

"Pink. I'm seventeen. I don't have any brothers or sisters. I'm Jewish. I'm from Lima. And yes, I like Noah. Very much," she says, looking at Puck with her last answer. Puck's grin widens, if that's even possible. He's amused by the fact that Rachel's patience is seemingly endless. He also has the feeling that they're not really going to be able to escape up to his room tonight. Even if they do, he knows they aren't going to get a moment alone. Oh, the curse of having little brothers.

As he listens to Rachel being questioned by the boys, he realizes that this might work to his advantage. He's learning a few things about her that he didn't really know before, but the knowledge will be of good use later. And then the answers that he's pretty sure are geared toward him, like what her favorite restaurant is and what kind of movies she likes best. Of course, that answer is predictable.

He slips upstairs for a moment so that he can bring down her gift. He figures that he isn't going to get her away from the boys at all tonight, so they can just exchange presents down here. When she sees him come back downstairs with a present, she searches around for the one she brought in. She was sure she set it on the table. Isaiah pulls it out from behind his back and gives her a big grin.

"Haha! I got you!" He squeals with delight and Rachel giggles. Isaiah has got to be the cutest little boy she has ever met. She trades gifts with Puck and watches as he opens up his. He turns it over in his hands, giving her a goofy grin.

"I am.. surprised." He says.

"Is that the newest one?" Matt asks, scrambling over to look. Puck nods and holds the game up so that Matt and Sam can both see it. They'd all been talking about this game for ages now, and Puck had completely forgotten that it was coming out this month.

"Do you like it?" Rachel asks shyly, though she's sure that he does.

"Love it. But you _do_ know I'll be spending a lot of time playing this, right?" Puck grins and Rachel just rolls her eyes. She tears at the wrapping paper on her own gift and raises an eyebrow as she looked down at the small CD titled "Rachel's Mix". She looks up at Puck, who just smiles and shrugs.

"Oh, but you _cannot_ make fun of me for anything on that." Puck warns.

"Can't make any promises," Rachel teases.

"What's on it, Noah?" Isaiah asks.

"Some songs that I wanted Rachel to listen to." Puck answers and Isaiah makes a face.

"You mean like icky gross girlfriend and boyfriend stuff?" Isaiah asks. Rachel and Puck laugh and Rachel touches Isaiah's nose.

"That's exactly what it is." She tells him and he sticks out his tongue.

"_Well_, I seem to remember a certain someone rocking out with me when I was picking out songs," Puck points out and Isaiah looks thoughtful for a moment.

"That's not icky gross love stuff." He decides and Puck grins.

"No icky gross love stuff? Hmmm, now I'm curious." Rachel flips the CD over in her hands, telling herself that she'll definitely be listening to it when she gets home. She is kind of curious about what songs Puck chose and maybe it'll help her decide what was on her mind all night. Although, she's pretty sure her mind is already made up. Or heart, rather. Oh, whatever. She loves Puck. She knows that.

The group of them decide to watch some movies, and Puck convinces Isaiah to let him sit next to Rachel on the couch. Isaiah agrees only on the condition that he gets to sit on Puck's lap. After a little bit of bickering, Isaiah finally wins. Damn his cute little dimples. So they all squeeze in on the couch with Matt on the other side of Rachel and Sam on the other side of Puck. By the time the movie is over, the younger boys are all passed out.

If Rachel had any doubts about being in love with Puck, they were gone when she looked over and saw Puck running his fingers through Isaiah's hair. There was just something about the way Puck looked with a little kid in his arms. The image wouldn't leave her mind as he walked her to the door, kissed her goodnight. It didn't leave her as she drove home. And it was only that much stronger as she put in the mix he made and she heard the beginnings of "I've Just Seen a Face".

Yeah, she's in love with Noah Puckerman.

* * *

**If you'd like to know what songs are on the mix, I could include a list in the A/N of the next chapter. Or here. Or you could pm me. Whatever you'd like. :)**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Hi guys! I was trying to upload this last night, but my internet was acting up and I couldn't get it. A short, kind of angsty chapter for you. I did _not_ intend it to be, but this is how it came out. At the end is a little pick me up. :)**

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Rachel hurries to the door as she hears it ring, excited to see Noah after her starling revelation the night before. She _does_ love Noah Puckerman. Of course, she's not going to tell him that. She doesn't want to scare him off. She's got enough crazy going for her without telling him that she's in love with him. But she's just happy that she's going to get to see him again. She pauses, checking herself in the hall mirror to make sure her hair is in place. With a big grin, she opens the door. Her smile falls immediately because... well, that's _Finn_.

She wants to shut the door in his face. It certainly would be dramatic, and Rachel Berry loves drama. But Finn sticks his foot out, and she knows he's read her mind. She's not surprised. He knows her best, doesn't he?

"What are you doing here?" she asks. Not polite. Right to the point.

"Well, I heard... I heard that you're dating Puck now. And I saw you two together, so you can't deny it." Finn says, shrugging as he shoves his hands in his pockets.

"I hardly think that's any of your business." Rachel folds her arms over her chest, looking up at Finn in defiance. She doesn't have to answer to him. It's not his business who she dates.

"Well, maybe not, but I am your friend and I do care about you. A lot. And you _know_ how Puck is. He's gonna leave you faster than you can say Bertha Streisand."

"Barbara."

"Whatever. Look. I just don't want you to get hurt."

"I'm _happy_. Don't ruin this for me, Finn."

"You hardly know him."

"I love him."

Rachel immediately regrets it because she did _not_ want Finn to be the first person to know that, and the way he's looking at her right now... she could just die. She wasn't out to hurt Finn. Well, maybe a little. But it's his fault. _He_ broke up with _her._ Finn doesn't say anything. He just looks down at her with that deer in the headlights, hurt look, and she can't look at him any more. She averts her gaze and chews on her lip. He doesn't say anything. He just shakes his head, turns around, and walks away.

Rachel stares after him, unsure of what to do or say. Suddenly, she's just... upset. All of that excitement that she felt before answering the door has slipped away somewhere, and she isn't sure what to do. She shuts the door behind her, leaning back against it as she absently plays with the star on her necklace. The necklace Noah gave her. Noah!

She groans. She knows she could usually fake being all happy, but she's just too upset. And she doesn't want to be thinking of Finn the entire time Noah is over. She knows that's what will happen because no matter how much she might be in love with Noah, she loved Finn and he was her first love. Well, not even loved. She still loves him. Even after he broke her heart.

She sighs and decides that she probably shouldn't have Noah over tonight. She tugs out her phone and sends off a quick text, telling him that she doesn't feel well. If he pays any attention to her – and she knows he does – he'll know that she means that she needs to rest and for him not to come over. She drags herself up the stairs, suddenly drained, and collapses on her bed.

She hates love.

* * *

**Rachel's Mix:**

1. I've Just Seen A Face - The Beatles

2. Oh!Darling - The Beatles

3. Living on A Prayer - Bon Jovi

4. Just What I Needed - The Cars

5. Wonderful Tonight - Eric Clapton

6. Nice n' Easy - Frank Sinatra

7. What I Like About You - The Romantics

8. No One Like You - Scorpions

9. Maybe I'm Amazed - Paul McCartney

10. Take Me Home Tonight - Every Avenue

11. Sure To Fall - The Beatles


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Hi there! Longer chapter than last time. Enjoy! :)**

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Puck makes his way up her sidewalk, two presents in hand. She hadn't wanted him over last night. He _knows _that she said she wasn't feeling well, but he also knows that she was just fine the night before. So, he's certain it has to do with a one Finn Hudson. Of course, he wouldn't have even suspected Finn, if Finn hadn't shown up at his house last night.

He didn't know what to think of it, really. Finn _had _been his best friend. A long time ago, of course, but it had happened. It wasn't like he had stolen Rachel or anything. Finn had dropped her, and Puck saw his chance. There was nothing wrong with that, right?

The weirdest part for him, of course, was the fact that _Finn_ was the one telling him that Rachel loves him. Seriously, what was up with that? Maybe Finn was lying, but Puck didn't really think so. After all, the guy was obviously still in love with Rachel himself. The idiot. He shouldn't have let her go. If it was him, _he_ wouldn't have done it.

But Finn had brought up a good point. What is he going to do when Rachel goes to New York? It's not like he has college plans, especially not in New York. He has a lot of time to think about it, but it still feels so pressing, and he doesn't want to let Rachel go. Figuratively. He _wants_ her to go to New York. He _wants_ her to achieve everything she's ever wanted. He just wants to be right there beside her when she does.

He doesn't even realize he knocked until he hears Rachel say his name. She looks a bit worried, but he quickly snaps away from his thoughts. Another time. He'll think about all of this another time. For now, he's just going to enjoy this night with Rachel as much as he can.

"Hey beautiful," He says, an grin instantly coming across his face. He can't not smile when he's looking at her. He knows it's cheesey as hell, but he can't help it. So maybe guys _do_ get all mushy and stuff when they're in love. Speaking of which, should he bring that up or let it rest? He still feels like it's probably too soon to say it. But _she_ told Finn, even though they hadn't said the "l" word yet. There he goes, right back into his head. _Snap out of it, Puckerman._

"Hi Noah," Rachel responds, blushing. She hasn't even noticed. Good. Okay. As long as she keeps thinking all that lovey dovey stuff he knows she's thinking, she won't notice that he's a bit preoccupied.

He steps into the house and she brushes the snow out of his hair. He can't help himself as he leans down and softly kisses her on the lips. What makes Rachel Berry so irresistible? Shouldn't he be annoyed with her or something? Oh well. That's love. He sets the presents down and shrugs off his coat, hanging it up near the door.

"Oh, two presents?" She asks, looking down at the two wrapped boxes.

"Yeah. I figured since we missed yesterday, I'd give you both of these today. Is that okay?" Puck asks, suddenly unsure. He doesn't usually second guess himself, but sometimes with her... He just wants to please her.

"That's fine!" She says brightly and he smiles, happy that she's happy. "That just means I'll have to get out another one of your presents. I wasn't quite sure what you wanted to do about that. And I'm sorry about yesterday! I was feeling a bit of a tickle in my throat-"

"Rachel." Puck interrupts. He wasn't going to tell her that he knew, but he can't take her flat out lying to him. It just doesn't feel right. They should be open with each other, right? Isn't that how relationships work?

"Yes?" Rachel says, her voice steady, but her smile faltering. He knows she hates being interrupted, but he had to in this case.

"I know. About Finn coming over." Puck says as he picks up the presents, and now she's frowning. Well, that's not exactly how he wanted to start the evening off.

"He didn't even come in, I swear!" Rachel says quickly, and Puck is kind of confused until he realizes that it sounds like he had implied something. Which he hadn't. He was just saying.

"Oh, no. I mean..." Puck sighs. "He came to see me, too. After he left here."

"He did?"

"Yeah, he-"

"Noah! How nice to see you!" One of Rachel's fathers comes into the room. Puck forces a quick smile, shaking his hand. He wants to say that they're in the middle of something important, but this is Rachel's dad, and he can't exactly get on his bad side, can he?

"Nice to see you as well, sir."

"Dad, if you'll excuse us, we're kind of in the middle of a very important conversation," Rachel says quickly as she tugs Puck up the stairs. Her dad just lifts an eyebrow, and Puck grimaces because he's sure that in her father's mind, "conversation" isn't exactly "conversation". He follows her into the room (like he has a choice, really), and takes a seat on her bed. She closes the door behind them and turns to Puck. She doesn't say anything to him, just stares at him expectantly.

"Well?" She finally says.

"What?" He's not exactly sure what she wants here.

"Well, what did he say?"

"Is there something he was supposed to say?" Puck asks.

"Oh, don't avoid the question, Noah." Rachel says, folding her arms across her chest.

"He..." Puck looks up at her, shifting slightly. "Well, he wasn't happy, that's for sure. Would have probably punched me if Isaiah hadn't been there. He doesn't want me to be with you because apparently I'm bad for you and he still loves you and blah, blah, blah. It was stupid. But he told me he had come over here to talk some sense into you, which apparently didn't work, so he thought maybe he could make me feel crappy enough to make me break up with you."

"Oh that _jerk_!" Rachel exclaims, stamping her feet. She begins to pace, not even really thinking about Noah being there. "After everything he put me through. Who does he think he is? It's not _my_ fault we broke up. He broke up with me because I'm going to New York and he's not. And he still can't let me be happy, even though he tells me he wants me to be. He only wants me to be happy if it's with _him_! Well, I've got news for him. I'm not breaking up with you over him, and I'm not going to let you break up with me over him, so he can just forget about it!"

Puck moves in front of her and grabs her arms, stopping her in her tracks. She looks confused and then suddenly realizes that yes, he heard that entire little outburst. He takes a deep breath, rubbing her arms and willing her to relax as well.

"You think I'm gonna break up with you over that asshole? Think again." Puck says quietly, and Rachel throws her arms around him. He wraps his arms around her, hugging her tight. It's a relief to know that she doesn't want to break up with him, either. He hadn't really thought she would, but it was kind of there in the back of his mind.

"One question, though." He says slowly. He doesn't really want to ask this question, because he's kind of afraid of the answer, but he'll ask it anyway. He feels like he needs to know the answer, whatever it is. "Do you still love him?"

Rachel doesn't answer for a long moment, so he pulls back away from her to look at her. She doesn't have her guilty face on, though. It's her thinking face. At least she's actually thinking it through and not giving him a yes or no straight away. If she had immediately said no, he wouldn't really have believed it.

"I don't know. I mean, I was thinking about it last night, and I thought I did... He was my first love, you know. I think I'm always going to love him, in a way. Maybe not the way he wants, but I do love him. But I don't want to be with him. Not after last night, not ever. If he really, truly loved me, he'd want me to be happy in the way that I want to be happy. And that's with you."

"An honest answer. I like that." Puck smiles and kisses her on the forehead.

"So then... we're okay?" Rachel asks, looking up at him.

"If you'll be honest with me." Puck tells her, and god he sounds like a sap. When did he _ever _care about honesty before now?

"I will," Rachel nods, and goes to sit down on the bed.

"But for now, we have presents to open." Puck tells her, and she smiles brightly. She gets off the bed and into her closet to get out a second gift for him. He takes a seat on the bed, picking up the present she already has laying out for him. He tears off the wrapping paper, laughing a bit as he sees what it is. It's so like Rachel to do something like give someone a picture of herself as a present. He doesn't mind it at all, but he's still amused by it. It'll look good on his night stand, right next to his bed.

"I know it's kind of silly, but I like to think it's a way for me to be there with you, even when I'm not." Rachel says shyly as she joins him on the bed, holding out the other present she has for him. He smiles, giving her a peck on the cheek before taking the present.

"It's a nice thought. I like it," He tells her as he hands over her presents. He tears into the second one, not really surprised by it. He knew she liked him in black t-shirts. That's when he caught her staring the most.

He watches her slowly unwrap first a pair of shoes, and then a coat. He hadn't actually been too sure when he was shopping, so he had enlisted someone else to help him when he had gone shopping. Quinn had assured him that she would like these, so he wasn't too surprised by Rachel's soft gasps when she saw what they were.

"Thank you, Noah. How did you know I wanted these?" Rachel asks, looking up at him.

"Had no idea, to be honest. Lucky guess," Puck grins and kisses her forehead. He was going to have to thank Quinn later.


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Really, really sorry it's taken so long! I lost my inspiration and then got caught up in another fic so I'm so sorry!**

* * *

Puck feels as if they've reached a new place in their relationship, which is an odd thing to think because it's been what, a week? It's not that he didn't trust Rachel. He does trust her, even if she did use him to try to cheat on Finn that one time. No, he trusts her. He just didn't like the idea of her lying to him or keeping things from him. Also weird thoughts, considering he hasn't always been the most honest man himself. That's all going to change from here on out, though. He's going to be a better man for Rachel.

Rachel gets along well with his brothers, he's discovered. He likes that. He never really imagined that Rachel was a family type of person, but she's really changed his mind about it. Of course, he had never really seen himself as a family type of person. He'd had a kid with Quinn forever ago, and he wasn't in Beth's life. He's convinced himself that he probably wouldn't be the best factor in her life, anyway. Somewhere down the road, when he was a better man. After all, he was planning on heading out to New York next year with Rachel. There was a pretty good chance they'd come into contact with Shelby and Beth.

But he shouldn't be thinking about those things right now. After all, it's only been a week. Is it possible to be so serious with someone after such a short period of time? Hell, they hadn't even had sex yet. And they wouldn't until Rachel really was ready to. He smiles as Rachel looks up at him from the game she's playing with Isaiah. It's cute, really. He's always known that she wasn't really into the shooter types or anything like that, but she seems to love MarioKart. He makes a note to get some Mario games to take with him when he moves.

There he goes. Thinking about that whole moving thing again. He's hopeless.

"Can I see the new boots you got, Noah?" Matt asks.

"Sure, buddy." Puck says and gets up. He leads Matt up to his room, where he and Rachel had exchanged presents earlier. She'd given him a new pair of boots, as Matt had said, and he'd given her a new pair of earrings, which she'd loved. He picks up the boots, holding them out to Matt.

"Whaddya think?" Puck asks.

"Man, she knows what you like, huh?" Matt asks.

"Yeah," Puck chuckles. "She really does. She might have gotten help, though. Maybe Kurt or someone."

"Hey Noah?" Matt asks, breaking Puck from his thoughts.

"Yeah?"

"Mom says you're probably gonna move far away." Matt says, looking at his feet. Puck raises an eyebrow. His mom knows him better than he thought. He sighs as he picks Matt up and sits down with him on the bed.

"Well, you see," Puck starts, not really sure exactly how to explain anything. He hasn't even figured it out at this point. But he'll try his best because this is his little brother, and he loves his brothers. "Rachel's gonna go to big school out in New York. She wants to sing and dance and act and all of that good stuff. Remember the musical?"

"Yeah," Matt nods. "She was really good."

"Exactly. She's really good at it. And, if she's out in New York doing all this big stuff, where do you think I wanna be?" Puck asks.

"With her."

"Right."

"Are you never gonna come home and see us again?" Matt asks. There's a slight whine in his voice and Puck can't resist the urge to hug him tight, so he does.

"I will come home and visit as much as I possibly can. And hopefully that will be lots and lots, right?" Puck asks.

"Uh huh. 'Cause we're gonna miss you lots and lots." Matt says, and Puck gives him another big hug. He's never really admitted it to anyone, but his brothers are a pretty big part of his life. For a really long time, he was such a terrible influence on the three of them, but he's really been turning himself around, he thinks. He wants to do right by them. His dad sure as hell never did. So, he was going to have to step it up for them. "Well, I'm gonna miss you guys lots and lots, too."

"Can we come visit you sometimes?" Matt asks, bouncing.

"Sure. And I'll take you guys out to see all the cool stuff out in New York, yeah?" Puck promises.

"Yeah!" Matt grins, kicking his feet. "Hey, do you think Isaiah is still beating Rachel?"

"Probably," Puck snorts. "Maybe we should show her some tricks."

"But we don't want her to be able to beat us."

"Good point. We'll let her figure it out herself, then." Puck grins, standing up and setting Matt on the floor. They head down the stairs and find Isaiah jumping up and down excitedly.

"He beat me." Rachel rolls her eyes, but she's smiling.

"I did! I did! I did!" Isaiah says, running over and throwing his arms around Puck's legs. Puck picks him up and carries him back over to the couch. Puck sets him down and takes a seat next to Rachel. Isaiah crawls into his lap and says, "Rematch?"

"Why don't we watch a movie now? It's almost your bedtime, anyway." Puck answers, picking up the remote and changing the channel. He flips through movies until he finally finds a children's movie on. Rachel snuggles into his side, and he wraps his free arm around her, gently stroking her side.

Puck finds himself thinking that someday, somewhere down the line, he and Rachel are going to be just like this. They're going to be snuggling on the couch, watching some kids movie while their kids sit in their laps. He had never realized how much he wanted that until this very moment. Someday, they were going to have it.


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Aaaaaand here's the last chapter, kids. Hope you enjoyed! Thank you so much for all of the alerts, favorites, and reviews. :)**

* * *

"Rachel, can we talk to you for a moment?" Rachel's father, Leroy asks. Rachel wonders if maybe she's in trouble for something, but she can't really remember doing anything wrong.

"You're not in trouble." Hiram says, and Rachel feels relieved. She's sure that this has something to do with Noah, and she really doesn't want to hear any more about how he's not good for her. She's gotten enough of that from other places, thank you very much.

"What's up?" Rachel asks, leaning against the counter as she folds her arms across her chest, looking at her dads.

"We just wanted to tell you how much we like Noah. We haven't really gotten the chance to actually discuss it." Leroy tells her, and Rachel smiles.

"Not that we didn't like Finn. He was nice enough. But he broke your heart, and so he deserves-"

"Now's not the time, Hiram."

"Of course not," Hiram says, smiling at Rachel. "What we like about Noah is that he seems just as invested in your future as the rest of us are. He wants you to go to New York. He knows that Broadway is where you belong and like us, he doesn't want anything to deter you from that."

"He told you this?" Rachel asks. She hadn't thought that conversation between Noah and her dads had lasted all that long, but now it seems that she was wrong. They'd talked about more than she had realized. She was going to have to press Noah for details later.

"Not in those exact words, but it was the general message." Leroy shrugs.

"I think it's nice that you have someone that's going to put your dreams first. It's not really all that common." Hiram comments, and Leroy nods in agreement.

"Good. I'm glad you guys like him, because I don't plan on getting rid of him anytime soon." Rachel says as she hears a knock on the door. She grins at her dads before hurrying out to let Noah in. He smiles at her, giving her a quick kiss on the forehead before ducking into the house. She almost doesn't feel the cold. She shuts the door behind him as he takes off his jacket and hangs it up. She likes how he seems so at home here anymore.

"Missed you," He tells her, giving her a kiss on the cheek.

"Missed you too," She grins. Why are they such saps? They just saw each other last night. She leads him up the stairs and to her room, shutting the door behing them. She realizes that she's glad her fathers give her this kind of freedom. He sets her present at the end of her bed and then collapses on her bed.

"I thiiiiink, we should do something," Noah says, looking up at her.

"Like what?" She asks, curious.

"Like... when was the last time you went and played out in the snow?" He asks her. She considers the question, trying to really remember. She was young. Very young. It had been with her dads, too, as she had never really had friends or siblings to play with at such a young age. It'd caused her to give up on it early.

"I can't remember. It's been a really long time," She admits.

"Well, what do you say to going out and building a snowman?" He asks.

"I'd be up for that." Rachel says, beaming. She's never had anyone other than her dads want to build a snowman with her, so she's really excited. She had wanted to suggest it over at his house, but she had been sure he'd think her childish for it.

She gets dressed in warm clothes, almost considering a snowsuit, but she doesn't want to wear something so bulky. She pulls on his hat, and he smiles, telling her that she looks absolutely adorable. They hurry down the stairs like a couple of childrenn, and Rachel calls out to her dads, telling them they're going to play in the snow. Her dads have a good laugh as the two head outside.

Rachel hardly remembers what it's like building a snowman, so Noah helps her along. When they finally have the middle all rolled up and on top of the bottom, they pause to take a break. Rachel's dads come out with a box of odds and ends to decorate the snowman with. Rachel and Noah sift through the box, picking out buttons they like, a scarf, and Hiram presents a carrot. Leroy hunts around the yard for sticks to use for arms as Rachel and Noah roll the head. When they finally get the head up, Rachel decorates the face, while Noah adjusts the arms to his liking. Finally, the scarf goes on, the buttons down the front, and the snowman looks perfect. Well, actually, it's a little lopsided, but to Rachel, it's perfect.

Hiram and Leroy demand pictures, so the four of them take turns taking pictures, and Rachel thinks that this is one of the most perfect nights in the world. She can't possibly imagine how it could get any more perfect.

And then Hiram throws the first snowball.

Rachel runs around the side of the house, squealing as she packs some snow and launches one back at Hiram. Leroy apparently has Noah in his sights, because he launches one at the kid, who is completely unprepared. Noah ducks behind the snowman, making a couple of snowballs and throws them in Leroy's direction. He knows one hits, because he hears a yell, but when he peers out, he sees he's hit Hiram. Leroy is standing there smirking at him as both Hiram and Leroy team up against him. Rachel comes running to his aid, ducking to avoid the snowballs flying at her.

Rachel giggles, thinking she probably hasn't had this much fun in a really long time. She makes snowballs and lets Noah throw them, because she has the worst aim ever. She's tried to throw some at Hiram, but they keep going all over the place. She's sure to get some kind of lecture from Noah about aiming and throwing, she's sure.

When Hiram and Leroy finally surrender, night has fallen. The yard is lit by the beautiful lightsHiram and Leroy have put up around the house, as well as on the trees. Rachel's dads inform the couple that they're going to make some hot cocoa to warm up, and Rachel tells them that they'll be in in a moment. After watching her dads go in, she turns to Noah and tells him, "Thank you."

"For what?" Noah asks.

"Just... for making this night so amazing. I haven't had this much fun in a long time." Rachel tells him, smiling. She wraps her arms around him in a hug, and he kisses the top of her head.

"I love you." He tells her. Rachel closes her eyes as her heart leaps in her chest. She was wrong in thinking this night couldn't get any more perfect. For the first time, Noah has said that he loves Rachel, and it feels so right. So perfect.

"I love you too," She tells him, pulling back to look up at him. "Now. Cocoa and then presents and then cuddling by the fireplace?"

"Of course." Puck chuckles, taking her hand and leading her into the house. They pull off coats and scarves and hats and settle in down in the living room with her dads, drinking hot cocoa as they all sit and talk about the perks of winter. Rachel had never really thought there was anything particularly nice about winter, but she knows that this is probably the best winter she's ever had. They retreat up the stairs for a moment to grab their presents before heading back down to open them in front of Leroy and Hiram.

"I think this is really cute," Hiram says. "The eight days of presents thing. It's really sweet."

"Well, youk now what they say. Young love and all." Leroy comments as they watch Rachel open her present. She removes the yellow wrapping paper, revealing a box, which tells her nothing. She opens it up and pulls out a gold-colored microphone with her name written on it. There's a little star next to her name, and she beams over at Noah.

"This is... it's perfect." She tells him.

"I was hoping that you'd like it," He says, tearing into his present. It's a big box, and he has no idea what's in it. He can't think of anything she'd get him being this big. Except, when he opens it to find a new guitar, he realizes that yeah, this was probably a perfect present, considering everything. "And you are perfect."

"Well, I love hearing you sing."

"You should sing something!" Leroy says, grinning.

"Yes, let's hear you sing!" Hiram agrees.

Noah sighs, but Rachel can tell he likes it. He knows he can sing well, and that was something she always like about him. He had confidence in his singing abilities. One of the many things that made him attractive, in her opinion. He begins to play, and Rachel immediately knows what he is playing. She smiles, glad that their religion is something they have in common.

Maoz tzur y'shuati  
l'cha naeh l'shabeach

Rachel and her dads start singing along, because they really can't resist.

Tikon beit t'filati  
v'sham todah n'zabeach.

Noah grins as they four of them sing and harmonize, and he thinks that this might be a nice moment to share with his own children someday. There's nothing cozier than sitting around a fireplace with family and singing pretty songs.

L'eit tachin matbeach  
mitzar hamnabeach  
Az egmor b'shir mizmor  
chanukat hamizbeach  
Az egmor b'shir mizmor  
chanukat hamizbeach.

They repeat the verses, and Rachel finds once that she's actually surprised. Just like she had been with the game, she was surprised that Noah knew the song. She shouldn't be, she knows, but it's just that Noah has never seemed particularly religious. In fact, she's pretty sure he's probably never been.

"Mom makes us sing it every night," He smiles as he finishes playing. Rachel chuckles at herself because of course that would be the case.

"It's a very beautiful song." Leroy says.

"They're voices sound beautiful together, don't they?" Hiram asks, looking at Leroy.

"They really do."

Later, as Rachel walks to the door, she tells Noah, "You were just full of surprises tonight."

He smiles back at her as he says, "Good. I want to keep you guessing."

"Hey Noah?" She says, and he turns to look at her as she puts his jacket on. "Tonight was probably the most perfect night I've had in a really long time. You know, with us building a snowman and having a snowball fight with my dads and the cocoa and the song and the snuggling. It was just... perfect."

"Good," Noah says, smiling as he pulls on his hat. "And just think, we have a lot more perfect nights to come."

"You think so?" Rachel asks.

"I know so," He tells her, and she wraps her arms around him in a tight hug. He hugs her back, stroking her hair. "I love you."

"I love you too."


End file.
